moe. and Kyle Hollingsworth in Asheville

​As I began my long drive towards Asheville, North Carolina on interstate 81 from my home, purple red buds bloom for hundreds of miles across the valleys and ridges. I had never been to Asheville, North Carolina, but I had been told of its amazing small town feel and entertaining qualities. Tucked away between the Blue Ridge and the Smoky Mountains, Asheville has become the heart of the East Coast jam band community. The vibe is unlike any other city in the country.
The band moe. celebrated its 25th year at the newly founded Asheville New Mountain music venue. I arrived in time to find out that the tickets for the show, which included the opening act, Kyle Hollingsworth Band had been sold out. I turned around to immediately find a ticket from an individual in line for $15, cheaper than the original price of entry.
The venue was nestled into a parking lot, shoved in between two buildings and overcrowded with people. Advertised as an outdoor pavilion, this was far from the truth. The sound was terrible and worse yet, the 10 PM curfew left the crowd screaming, “We want moe!” for at least 10 minutes after the encore. Despite the venues lacking qualities, Asheville's atmosphere shines through and the crowd’s vibes were uplifting and exciting. Moe’s quarter-century anniversary culminated in a special sit in performance by Kyle Hollingsworth from The String Cheese Incident. They played a Little Feat classic "Willin’” and a killer, “Blue Jeans Pizza.”
Asheville is by far one of the coolest towns I have ever visited in the country. I have been to almost every major city on the east coast and Asheville seems out of place, in another time. The hustle and bustle of the big city has yet to occupy the heart of Asheville and I hope it stays that way forever. I look forward to seeing more concerts in all of the beautiful locations Asheville has to offer.
Setlist:
Captain America>Akimbo <Waiting for the Punchline <Skrunk <The Bones of Lazarus <Hi & Lo <Billy Goat <Downward Facing Dog <Willin' (Little Feat cover)<Blue Jeans Pizza
Encore: Crab Eyes